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Seamus Dever Speaks on Life at General Hospital

Our pals at BuddyTV recently spoke with General Hospital star Seamus Dever. Here are excerpts from the interview:

How did you end up becoming part of this show?
I had actually tested. I'm kind of one of these actors who has been around a long time, and have made fans out there, a lot of casting people and producers. The story of my life is that I'm generally the second choice for things. I tested for something for General Hospital like five -- no, four years ago now. I came very close and everyone loved me, just not for the part, but they loved me. I hear that a lot.

"You're great, but not for this part." And so they kind of kept me in mind, and this part came up for Ian Devlin. They had written it, and Mark Teschner, the casting director told me that they're like, "You know who would be great for this? Seamus." And he's like, "You better just offer it to him. Don't even make him audition for it." So that's what they did.

We're wondering how a renowned doctor is also a trained assassin?
I have been wondering that myself. Well, they're both good with their hands. They have to have good eyesight and patience. There's a lot of parallels between being a doctor, particularly a surgeon, and an assassin. Both need precision timing. It surprised me, it threw me for a loop when I read that. I was like, "What, wait a minute. I'm gonna kill Sonny? Wait a minute, how did this happen?" I'd like to know a definite answer too.

The character who's going to take out Sonny must ruffle the feathers of the General Hospital fans. Have you read the fan reactions to Ian online at all?
I confess I do, only because I've never been on a show where I get that kind of instantaneous feedback. I do a lot of theater, so you get the feedback from the critics, and with any kind of criticism you have to take the good and you have to take the bad. There's a bunch of good Ian criticism out there, and there's a bunch of bad Ian criticism out there.

And then the fact that the child's involved. I think there's going to be something that kind of comes out with a child being involved, something in Ian's past where it's just instant regret. Something involving a child, I think that's all I can say.

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Claudia: Oh, you're in a foul mood, huh? Looking for trouble?Sonny: You know, I have not been fair to you. I know I called you a lying whore, and all that. But hey, you know what? At least you don't pretend to be anything else.